What have you been up to lately?

[Frankskywatcher]

Hi everyone hope everybody has been doing well?
I recently had cataract surgery on both eyes, and I am now convalescing.
Although I have new eyeballs lol I still need glasses for reading and the prescription I have is now outdated since I now have 2020 vision but I’m still farsighted.
I am using voice text because I cannot see the print. Well, since I know I have to get new reading glasses. My old ones won’t work.
Just wanted to let everyone know I’ve been thinking of you guys in the forum, and of course I cannot wait to look through my telescope with new eyeballs.
Hopefully I’ll be up to speed very soon and back on the form on a regular basis!

[Butterfly Maiden]

I am pleased to hear your eye surgery went well Frank.

Get well soon.

You have some exciting sky-viewing in store for you now, but don't rush your recovery process.

Please be patient (pun intended ) and it will all be worth it.

[Makuser]

Hi Frank. I am glad that all went well with your cataract surgery and I went through the same thing about 3 or 4 years ago. Everything is brighter, colors are more vivid, and I have 20/20 vision but I still need reading glasses, although I can focus a bit closer then before without using the glasses. Thanks for your update report Frank and the best of wishes on getting back into action again soon.

[helicon]

I've been up to the usual lately. Reading too much. Thinking about when the weather will clear up so I can look upwards again, etc., etc.

On the materialistic side of things, I picked up a Byzantine coin. It's around 1,200 years old and shows the Emperor Theophilus, who ruled from 829 to 842. He was the last Byzantine Emperor to openly support iconoclasm. Yes, you're either into this sort of thing or you aren't.
829_to_842_Theophilus_AE_Follis_01_02.png


Then I added a specimen to my growing Zasu Pitts card collection, a cigarette card from 1935. If you haven't heard of Zasu Pitts, you're probably not alone. She died in 1964 and was most active in the 1930s and 1940s. She did make it on to a US postage stamp, though. Why do I collect Zasu Pitts cards? Because it's easy to collect things that nobody else wants. That sounds reasonable enough to me, but I could easily repeat: you're either into this sort of thing or you aren't.

IMG_4749.JPG


Finally, I did pick up a copy of "Turn Left At Orion," a book heavily recommended by this and other forums. Now I just need to read it.
IMG_4750.JPG


So, I've apparently spent some time consuming recently. I've had plenty of training in that, after all.

I have a similar coin which I shared on Numisforums nice coin for your collection

[helicon]

Trying to fix a Windows error called shorport.sys right now my laptop is non functional so I am using my phone. If I can't fix it it seems like it is time for a new one.

[Butterfly Maiden]

I hope you manage to diagnose the fault Michael

I know from friends who have Windows PCs that error messages are a nuisance to fix.

It usually involves trying to update the OS, updating device drivers or going into Safe Mode to try and find the fault.

Whatever you need to do it can be a headache.

Good luck with your efforts.

[Ylem]

Finally finished painting the house and other chores, the realtor will be here Sunday.

Sadly there are forest fires and evacuations happening in NJ where we are looking for a house, hope everyone is safe there.

[Ylem]

Hi everyone hope everybody has been doing well?
I recently had cataract surgery on both eyes, and I am now convalescing.
Although I have new eyeballs lol I still need glasses for reading and the prescription I have is now outdated since I now have 2020 vision but I’m still farsighted.
I am using voice text because I cannot see the print. Well, since I know I have to get new reading glasses. My old ones won’t work.
Just wanted to let everyone know I’ve been thinking of you guys in the forum, and of course I cannot wait to look through my telescope with new eyeballs.
Hopefully I’ll be up to speed very soon and back on the form on a regular basis!

Glad to hear everything is going well Frank!

[Butterfly Maiden]

Time for a new saddle.

I have outgrown this one....

Sophia did the appropriate measurements whilst I was sitting in a chair at home, so that I get the correct size.

I think this one will suit just fine...

I wonder when Sophia will be tempted for a new one

[helicon]

I did get a new laptop at Best Buy yesterday. HP 11th generation Intel Core i3 processor, 17.5" screen. Back to normal

[SkyHiker]

I set up last night for the first time in a half year or so. One of the last things I did back then was to upgrade my Pi4b astroberry. I needed that upgrade to allow a non-integer number of seconds in the adaptive PEC (Ekos v3.5 in astroberry v2.0.4 has that limitation).

Turns out, after the upgrade using that I had done using the documented steps for astroberry it could no longer recognize my cameras. From the indilib forum, I was not the only one to which this happened.

I hauled the G11 with the whole OnStep/astroberry inside to my office preparing for a day's worth of troubleshooting. Fortunately, someone had a script named astropi3 that installed astroberry with the latest Ekos v3.6.0. That script worked great and took only about a half hour to run. It fixed the camera problem and everything else seems to work AFAICT.

Not a bad start of the day.

[pakarinen]

Completed my first week at my new job. Aside from the usual and expected IT problems, things went well. Walked over to the observatory on my first day but I still need to check when public nights are scheduled and who can get access.
Since my commute is now down to about 35 minutes, I've had some extra time to observe in the morning although astro twilight is starting about 0445 now.

Hoping for clear skies tomorrow morning so I can revisit α Cap and friends. I want to see how well my 72ED resolves α² (6.6 arcsec separation).

[Lady Fraktor]

Currently over-nighting in Ostffyasszonyfa, Hungary (try saying that quickly without hurting yourself)!
Wonderful weather and a 6 hour drive to home in the morning.

[Ylem]

So, the realtors were over to get the house listed, I happened to have the 80ED mounted on the Vixen Porta, they said it adds to the decor.
Then one of them said the kids will also like it.

Wait, KIDS!?! You mean the ones with fast food grease on their fingers!?

Needless to say all of my scopes are now safely packed away for the pending move
So only binocular observing for me for the next couple of months.

[GCoyote]

Day 5 of a two day project.

Way more stuff in the old shed than there should have been. Had to donate some, trash some, find space for the rest.
One afternoon to disassemble the old one and put the parts off to the side until next dumpster day.
New shed needed a level base. Plan A wasn't solid enough.
Plan B meant a second trip to the store for lumber.
Finally have the subassemblies for the new one done.
Need a day of nice weather to finish up.

[pakarinen]

Really considering pre-ordering a ZWO Seestar. Would that ruin visual astronomy for me forever, at least at home in my LP soup? Just wish there were some examples of actual pics taken with the thing.

[helicon]

Working with the ACC committee here in my neighborhood to get approval to remove some trees, two of which, alders cause a filtered view of the south. Looks like I will be able to have them cut down. A cedar to the east has also been designated as a hazard tree because it is growing out of large stump. That one I will probably get approval on as well.

[Butterfly Maiden]

Currently taking lots of pre-bookings for nail art to celebrate the coronation of King Charles III on Saturday 6 May 2023.

The designs are ranging from solid Royal Blue, solid red, the Union Flag, gold crowns and lots of combinations in between.

These are all in preparation for street parties and other events that are being organised.

[Butterfly Maiden]

Continuing the theme of us watching vampire movies/TV series, we are into the Van Helsing series on Netflix.

It is pretty good, and we have just started watching series 3.

The female lead character is Vanessa Van Helsing. My namesake and she is a pretty mean vampire killer

I don't think I could match her in the sword skills, but I could give her a run for her money in hand-to-hand combat though

[pakarinen]

Standard work schedule is three days in office, two days remote, but I haven't figured out what days to remote yet, so I've been doing four days in office. Mos def going to remote tomorrow though.

Got a little widefield scanning in yesterday morning with my 102, but I was too tired to take advantage of this morning's clear sky. I'll be kicking myself tonight when it clouds over again.

On the bright side, today is Scone Day at work. We're debating "skoan" versus "skawn".